President Donald Trump is pressuring states to implement major election-integrity measures by threatening to withhold tens of millions of dollars in federal funds, according to CNN.
The Trump administration is seeking to prevent election fraud at the state level, pushing states to replace electronic voting systems with hand-marked paper ballots and requiring them to run voter rolls through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) citizenship verification database, CNN reported Monday.
If states fail to comply, the administration is threatening to pull tens of millions of dollars worth of DHS grants that help local governments target terrorism and prepare for natural disasters. The grants total more than $1 billion this fiscal year, CNN reported. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Ralph Norman Proposes ICE Database To Track ‘Worst Of The Worst’ Illegals)
This comes as efforts to federalize these election integrity efforts have stalled in the Senate, with Republicans failing to make progress on one of Trump’s favorite pieces of legislation.
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 07: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters alongside U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin as he inspects the painting of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool basin on May 07, 2026 in Washington, DC. The repairs are part of President Trump’s “Safe and Beautiful” campaign to clean up parks and monuments in the city. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Trump has frequently pressured lawmakers to pass the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) America Act, which has been sitting in the Senate since the House passed it in February. The act requires proof of citizenship to vote in elections, provided in the form of a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or other photo ID that indicates citizenship. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Thune Admits Some Senate Republicans Hate Trump Too Much To Support SAVE America Act)
Similar to the election-integrity regulations demanded by the administration, the SAVE America Act would also require states to review their voter rolls to identify and remove noncitizens. The bill also creates legal penalties for officials who fail to enforce the regulations.
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